April is National Poetry Month. Regardless of whether you are taking a class in poetry, there are many benefits to writing poetry whether or not you share the poems with others. Here are 6 Exquisite Benefits of Writing Poetry:

Improves cognitive function. Learning new words, working out meter, and finding new ways to articulate our thoughts and feelings are all good for the brain. Want to get smarter? Write poetry!

Helps heal emotional pain. Grief is one of the most painful emotions we experience, and it’s also the source of some of the world’s most inspirational poetry.

Express love and affection. Sometimes it is easier to express these emotions in poetry than in ordinary prose.

Leads us to greater self-awareness. Most of us don’t have the time or desire to just sit and aimlessly ponder the meaning of our lives or what makes us deeply happy. Writing poetry gives us a constructive way to do that.

Provides a gift of inspiration or education to others. If you are willing to share your poetry, often you will help others who are experiencing the same things. There are some universal questions, fears and emotions that everyone can relate to no matter what country or culture they come from.

Celebrate! For some things, balloons and cake just don’t suffice. If you can capture those moments in a poem, you can experience them again and again.